Kevin McCloud has set the record straight on a subject that many Grand Designs fans have pondered.
For the Channel 4 programme, Kevin will make contact with people who are planning impressive building projects. The 65-year-old presenter will then intermittingly check in on them as they take their vision from blueprint drawings to completion.
As well as capturing the successes, the low moments are also caught in 4k – who can forget the saddest house ever? Having your life invaded can’t always be easy, and so viewers have long wondered if the contributors are given a financial incentive to take part.
They’ve been able to convince enough people to produce content for 200 episodes over a 25-year period, so it could make sense.
However, Kevin has stated that this isn’t the case, instead explaining exactly why they are there.
He provided the answers during an episode of the podcast Rest Is Entertainment, after a listener called Jackie wrote to hosts Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, to ask them to solve the small screen mystery.
Jackie noted that often in the episodes the developer goes ‘way over budget’ but is still able to finish the build to an ‘immaculate’ standard, with money to do so.
‘Does the Grand Designs company give them money to do this?’ they enquired. Jackie also asked why they signed themselves up for a TV show in the first place.
Kevin replied directly to the question to explain just what happens behind the scenes. It turns out the reason behind their participation isn’t money-motivated. ‘We don’t pay our contributors,’ the beloved TV star stated.
He explained that the reason they sign themselves up is much sweeter: ‘They do it out of love. I think because they are looking forward to a really nice, expensive-looking home video that we sort of prepare for them.’
However, they are given a ‘tiny’ payday, which is solely to cover expenses that derive from filming, such as having to miss work.
‘They do it for the joy of it all, and aren’t we grateful,’ he summarised.
We’re also full of gratitude for the brave people who allow their house renovation triumphs and issues to be broadcast to us all.
The most recent willing participants were Zahid and Ferzana, who attempted to renovate an East Yorkshire coastguard station which they snapped up for £175,000 at auction.
The project had plenty of bumps with viewers blasting Zahid as an ‘absolute ridiculous individual’.
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